What’s going on today is nothing new, it’s just being better documented. Ant Banks took to talking about it on his debut album Sittin’ On Something Phat on Jive Records back in ’93. The track “Living The Life” tells the integrate details of day to day living in Bank’s East Oakland home. an accomplished producer, Anthony Banks would go on to rule the Bay Area with his unmistakable Oakland Funk sound for the 90s and into the 2000’s.
Hiero all day. New music from the veteran and capable emcee Pep Love is always welcome. “Prayful Hurt” is mellow track which matches up to his smooth delivery quite well. No word, but I hope this means we will get a new album from the Oakland based rapper.
Other than Dayton, Ohio, the funk flows in the Bay Area like nowhere else. Nobody translated that Bay Area funk sound into the hip-hop genre like Ant Banks. In 1997, after a couple successful solo albums and producing tracks for any and everyone in the Bay, Banks dropped a compilation called Big Thangs. It featured the likes of Too Short, Ice Cube, Dr Dre, WC, Ice T, E-40, Spice 1, etc. “4 Tha Hustlas” featured Dangerous Crew General Too Short, legend 2pac, and the incomparable MC Breed. Otis & Shug, Oakland’s go to R&B duo, also provided some vocal assistance. I could talk all day about Banks and his influences in the genre, but I will not, I got stuff to do. Peace.
Pep Love is one of the dopest lyricists of all time, that being said he seems hella uncomfortable in front of the camera……regardless, he still sits high up on my list of emcees…..Casual and Tajai are not to be slept on either. Hieroglyphics!!!
From Casual’s (Don’t call it a comeback) album The Hierophant, if you didn’t cop this yet I’ll be issuing late pass exemptions once you show me a copy of your receipt……..
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